Against the Grain
by iPods-and-Tea
Summary: Ozai's plot for world domination began with a simple desire to outshine his brother in one thing. He wanted to be the fairest of them all.  One-shot.


The Story of Zuko's Banishment-What _Really_ Happened

I keep coming up with all these crack theories with my friend, but this one, this one I just had to write…it was too beautiful an idea to hide from the Avatar: The Last Airbender fandom. They deserve the laughs as well. Enjoy!

"Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all?" Ozai inquired the mirror hanging over his bureau. This certainly was not the first time Ozai had asked the faithful mirror this honest query. He'd finally thought he'd eliminated all those that obstacled his title(and no, that title was not Fire Lord). For once he was confident he'd get the response he wanted from this interrogation. Ozai had gone against the grain to get this title, and now after all his hard work and sacrifice finally he'd have what he wanted. So he thought. How misconceived was the fire nation heir. How many times he'd gone against the grain to obtain this prestigious eminence, but still there was one standing in the way, he hadn't abolished them all. There was still _him_.

Ozai was a ruthless child, some may even say heartless, some even go as far as to diagnose him as a sociopath. Seldom can empathize with his position. Really he was just a lost soul raised without affection; designed to get what he wants no matter what the consequences or retaliations of his proceedings. He was the living quintessence of the expression: "do whatever it takes"; and by, God, he did…

Ozai's raison d'être was to be the fairest of the Fire Nation. He simply couldn't settle for second best, he had to take home the blue ribbon. The obsession began with his father, Azulon's conspicuous favoritism for his elder brother, Iroh. Ozai felt he had no worth in his father's eyes, just as his own son felt he had no worth in Ozai's eyes. He had to prove some sort of worth to his father since Iroh was always one step ahead of the game. It was always like he was taking two steps forward and one step back; he'd get an A+, Iroh would lead a siege at Ba Sing Se. Iroh was better than Ozai at literally everything. Everything except for one thing. _His__looks._In this category there was no denying that Ozai had the upper hand. Knowing this was his only advantage to his brother, Ozai took it and ran with it. _This_ would surely do his father proud.

There was one vital flaw to Ozai's seemingly foolproof scheme. The plot would corrupt his mind. He'd become lost in the obsession for appearance superiority he'd destroy everything he'd worked for along the way. He would lose his ability to love. During his voyage to become the most handsome person in the Fire Nation Ozai became the most hideous person in the Fire Nation; inside, he was wretched. Ozai was also oblivious to the fact that his father, Fire Lord Azulon, had no regard at all whatsoever for outer appearances. Those did not assist one bit in governing a superpower. Iroh was also blissfully unaware of his brother's struggle for acknowledgment; as they say, ignorance _is_ bliss.

Ozai would eliminate all that impeded and hampered his probability of being the best, being the superior of his elder brother in _just__one__damn__thing_. This included the disposal of his own father that he had tried so hard to acquire approval from. That no longer mattered to him, all that mattered was beating Iroh and the rest of the world in his own hallucinogenic Miss America competition that inhabited only in his own mind.

One afternoon Ozai discovered a dusty, old mirror lying around in the attic of the palace. He blew off the dust and squinted into the mirror, scrutinizing it for his reflection. Suddenly an unfamiliar face popped up from the mirror, startling Ozai, sending him off his feet from being startled.

"Wha-what are you?" A frightened Ozai quivered at the mystifying face looking back from where his own reflection should be present.

"I, Prince Ozai, am the man in the mirror," It said majestically.

"What….I'm looking at the man in the mirror?" Ozai asked, baffled, "but…but…I don't like that song!" Ozai shouted, covering his ears in protest.

"No, not the Michael Jackson song, I _am_ the man in the mirror, I can answer your most profound questions and guide you through your aspirations," the mirror explicated.

"Oh…you can, _can__you_?" Ozai said, smirking maniacally.

"Indeed," The mirror answered reassuringly.

"Then….mirror, mirror, on the wall, whom is the fairest of them all?" Ozai said, smirking knowingly, and narcissistically.

"It's your nephew," the mirror replied curtly.

"WHAT?" Ozai erupted. His stupid, little, nephew, out serving in the 600-day-siege of Ba Sing Se was the most attractive person in the fire nation? How is this possible? Lu Ten was _Iroh__'__s__son_, the boy must've inherited his good looks from his mother, or from whatever side of the family gave Ozai his ravishing appearance.

"I only am capable of speaking the truth, Prince Ozai" the mirror elucidated.

"NO! This-this is impossible….that filthy…peasant…more devilishly handsome than _I_?" Ozai stumbled on words, trying to come into grasp with the cold truth.

"I'm afraid so, Prince Ozai….and he is not a peasant, but heir to the throne," the mirror stated matter-of-factly.

"I KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT STATUS THE BOY IS," Ozai shouted, "…Iroh…he gets everything from me, even indirectly he has stolen my one key to happiness and superiority….his damned son has taken my gorgeousness!" Ozai fumed, "Well…now I know how to revoke _his_ happiness…it'll even win me a ticket to the throne…and I _will__be_ the fairest of them all…" Ozai grinned sinisterly while losing himself in maniacal laughter. He sent an assassin after his nephew; he couldn't have anyone interfering in his one chance of redemption. He _would_ be _the_ fairest of them _all_. A few mere days later Ozai's wife, Ursa received word of Lu Ten's death and a spread of warmth filled Ozai's microscopic heart. Iroh was shattered and in ruin, he now had nothing, and at this his brother smiled. Zuko and Ursa were a pathetic lot, mourning about over some dead boy in Ba Sing Se. Ursa hadn't even been related to him, what did she care? And Zuko, that boy was always shameful, now he was whining about his dead cousin, he was too old for the boy to even hang around anyhow. Perhaps they were crying about Iroh's loss, maybe they pitied _him_, not Lu Ten, or maybe _both_? Whatever the rationale behind their grief did not matter, Ozai would now be the fairest of them all. He didn't even have to poison any apples or get his hands dirty. He was unscathed by the callous slaughter of his brother's only son, it would easily be interpreted as a war tragedy, people would perceive his death as another battle casualty. Ozai felt like a sparkling mastermind. Once again, he strode to the mirror in the attic with overconfidence.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, now tell me, who is the fairest of them all?" Ozai asked slyly, with a devilish smile.

"Why, it's your father, Azulon," the mirror answered frankly. Ozai almost screamed in frustration. This must be why his father was never impressed by his looks, _he_ was the one that gave them to _him_. His eyes widened at the shocking, yet so blatant discovery.

"AGH!" Ozai shouted, "Well, then I am next in line, right?" Ozai said almost in a plea, desperately hoping he was next in the row for the title.

"I'm afraid not, Prince Ozai, your wife would be next," the mirror sighed, telling Ozai with reluctance.

"Ursa!" Ozai exclaimed, "She's no more than a peasant married into royalty, how could _she_ possibly possess such beauty?"

"To this, I have no answer," The mirror admitted.

"GAH, no matter! I shall do away with them both! Bah humbug!" Ozai stormed. He'd just gotten rid of his nephew, how would he dispose of his own spouse and more importantly his father, the one he'd been endeavoring to provide evidence of his worth to all along? No matter, there was no time for trivial thoughts or warring inside his own logics. If he wanted to be the best, he'd be the best. He'd go against the grain, deceive his own father. Forsake him, the one he'd been pursuing worth for all these years. He hardly even cared for that anymore, he just wanted to be the hottest guy in the Fire Nation (which was quite difficult considering this was the _Fire_ Nation).

"Ursa, Ursa, darling!" Ozai called to his wife. She looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears; still weeping over Lu Ten. She thought that her husband's uncharacteristically affectionate nickname had been out of sympathy for her loss. She was very mistaken. She wiped her eyes with her sleeves and wrapped an arm around young Zuko.

"What is it Ozai?" Ursa sobbed as Zuko buried his face in his mother's cloak.

_"__They__'__re__all__so__pathetic,__Azula__is__the__only__one__in__my__family__not__worthy__of__shame,__"_ Ozai thought to himself in disgust, while rolling his eyes, "May I have a word with you…" Ozai said loathingly, letting the cruel words linger at the edge of his teeth. Even the way he spoke was so…_cold_(ironically).

"Mommy will be right back, Zuko," Ursa said as she gave her son a tight squeeze and followed her husband into an area out of Zuko's earshot. "What's going on, Ozai?"

"…We have to kill Zuko," He said bluntly, there was no emotion in his voice. Ursa couldn't believe what Azula had been taunting about in Zuko's bedroom had been true.

"What! You-you wouldn't…you're crazy!" Ursa screamed, cupping her hands over her mouth.

"We _have_ to," Ozai stressed.

"..Bu-but…wha-why?" She cried.

"Because father says so," Ozai answered plainly.

"How could you? Ozai, he is _your__son_!" Ursa cried.

"Nonetheless, father's orders, they must be executed, and thus _the__boy_ must be executed," Ozai said in monotone while inspecting his nails.

"I'd sooner _die_, then permit this to happen, Ozai. I will _kill__you_ if I have to. _No__one_ will _touch__my_ little boy," Ursa threatened him.

"Ursa…please…why kill me, I'm not the one issuing this edict…my father's to blame…" Ozai smirked.

"Then I'll do away with him," She proclaimed valiantly.

"You do realize, you then too, will have to _be__done__away__with_?" Ozai grinned, he was killing two birds with one stone and he didn't even have to lift a finger.

"So be it, I will protect Zuko as his _father_ fails to do so," Ursa cried and then marched away, head held high. She had to go against the grain to protect her son, she had to get rid of her father-in-law. The next morning Ozai rose from his bed chamber triumphantly. A servant entered the room, bearing the "_tragic__"_ news for the prince.

"…Prince Ozai…I-I'm afraid…your father mysteriously passed away last night, I know this is sudden and upsetting news, but with your brother nowhere in sight, and a mental wreck or grief, you're going to need to claim the throne for yourself," The guard explained.

"Is that so?" Ozai grinned as he yawned while stretching happily, he would usurp the throne from his indignant brother.

"Yes, my lord. I also have another message to pass to you sir, your wife has been banished for reasons classified and disclosed from my knowledge," The guard added.

"I see….very, well, you are dismissed," Ozai snickered. That afternoon he was crowned Fire Lord then he went to bask in the glory of his own greatness by the pond. His worthless son came running over, Ozai could remember rolling his eyes as the pathetic mess came running over in a panic.

"Where is she?" The small boy cried. Ozai didn't turn around, that wench didn't deserve his recognition. Later that evening, Ozai made his way up the familiar staircase to interrogate the mirror with a redundant question.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, now who is the fairest of them all?" Ozai gleamed.

"…" the mirror was afraid to speak.

"TELL ME!" Ozai demanded.

"…It's your son, Zuko…" It mustered out reluctantly.

"WHAT! THAT PATHETIC BRAT!" Ozai shouted in frustration, how far down on this list was he exactly? Ozai had just killed his nephew, wife and father, he couldn't kill his own son. It would be wicked to kill his own offspring. How could he do something so vile? He didn't love the child, he'd learned from his brother that loving would only turn to weakness. Ozai could not tolerate weakness.

"I'm sorry…" The mirror muttered.

"I can't do it. I can't keep killing off my entire family? Soon, I'll have no heir!" Ozai grumbled, _"__Why__did__all__these__people__have__to__be__his__own,__why__couldn__'__t__the__attractive__people__have__no__biological__ties__to__him?__"_ Ozai mused as his manifestations seeped further down into the turmoil and turbulence of his perplexing mind.

"What will you do, sire?" The mirror asked with curiosity.

"I'll contemplate it," Ozai snarled as he stormed out of the attic and slammed the door shut. The next few weeks turned into months. Iroh returned home, to the palace. The man was a ghost of his former self. Prior to his son's death Iroh would've returned home a war hero, honored with medals of honor and acknowledgement of his intrepid actions. Now, however, all that was left was a cowardly failure that capitulated on the battlefield, succumbing the siege over some dead child. He would be frowned down on upon society. Even this wasn't enough for Ozai he had to torture his brother even more; he still had to outdo him, just as he'd outdone him throughout their whole childhoods. He was no longer seen as _the__backup__child_, he was the Fire Lord. Iroh just moped around in grief and depression. The only one imprudent enough to communicate with the man was Zuko. One day there was a war assembly with the Fire Nation defense council. The committee was having a conference on what strategy to pursue next to gain control over the Earth Kingdom. Suddenly, Ozai was infuriated by the sight of his pathetic son and brother intruding into the conference. Those stupid guards had allowed Zuko passage when he'd specifically forbidden them otherwise. Ozai took a deep breath trying to maintain his composure and let the general finish explaining his tactic.

"We will send the new recruits out as bait-" began the general before Zuko stood up, an angered gleam in his auburn eyes.

"You can't do that!" the boy proclaimed boldly, Iroh face palmed himself, knowing the fate of his nephew would not be pleasant, "those soldiers work hard to ensure the safety of the Fire Nation, how can you just throw them away like that?" Zuko continued to fume on in his little snit of a tirade. The general was disrespected and insulted in the explanation of his own plan by a thirteen-year-old boy. It didn't matter that he was a prince, the general was still being told-off by a mere child. It was disparaging. Ozai found it unfathomable that his son spoke up for measly cogs in the machine. Ozai then stood, his son would have to face him in an Agni Kai; he couldn't disrespect a general in a war meeting where he wasn't even welcomed. Ozai informed his son of the Agni Kai to be fought at sundown. Iroh rushed over to his nephew after the rest of the committee was dismissed.

"Zuko! Are you crazy?" Iroh shouted.

"Why would I be crazy?" Zuko scoffed, "They can't sacrifice soldiers like that? Think of all the families, the children with no father, the wives with no husbands, and the mothers without sons? That's not right, I had to say something!"

"Zuko! You should have done it in a more reverent manner! Now you're going to have to face a master! Go apologize to the general at once, stop this inane foolishness!" Iroh pleaded, only for his nephew's wellbeing.

"I'm not afraid to face that old general! I'll easily take him down! You've been teaching me fire bending for a long time now!" Zuko said confidently. Iroh's stomach twisted into nausea. His nephew was _burnt_ toast.

Sundown arrived and Zuko made his was down into the royal Agni Kai arena. He was much too sure of himself. The bells rang and Zuko strode onto the field with confidence. The stadium was filled with people, people that would witness a tragedy. Zuko then turned around and saw his father standing there with broad shoulders and a fawn looking structure. Zuko felt his stomach do summersaults and tie into knots. How could he face his father, the Fire Lord in an Agni Kai?

Ozai smirked with delight and approached his son. Zuko trembled with fear and collapsed to his knees.

"Father, please!" He cried out, you could hear the disturbing ring of desperation shrouding his voice.

"Rise and fight, Prince Zuko!" Ozai demanded harshly.

"Father, please! I only had the Fire Nation's best interest at heart! I meant you no disrespect!" Zuko cowered, his heart thumping rapidly within his chest.

"You will fight for your honor, Prince Zuko!" Ozai demanded coldly. He couldn't fathom his son's defiance.

"I won't fight you!" Zuko said stubbornly as tears came riveting off his face like a river. The boy was praying to God that his father would show mercy. He respected his father too much to duel him in an Agni Kai. Ozai was appalled by his own son's cowardice and disobedience.

"Then you will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher!" Ozai sneered. He was brilliant. He'd thought of the perfect plan to dispose of his son, he wouldn't even have to murder him. Since Zuko had one the spot for most attractive, Ozai could destroy his face. He didn't really want to, he pitied the boy a bit honestly. He barely did anything and you could see the sheer terror in his eyes. But, Ozai had no time for mercy, he had to be the best. His son was weak; he wouldn't even fight him anyway. Ozai raised his fist full of fire and thrashed it violently upon his son's face. The wracking screams of pure agony would haunt anyone into their darkest days. The fire obliterated the right side of his face, scourging it. Zuko was twitching on the floor yelping out from excruciating pain, his mind was in dire mode. His face was still incinerating and you could smell the odor of conflagrate, burning flesh still smoldering. It branded his skin so painfully; the fire kindled through the pigments of his skin, igniting down to the bone. Zuko twitched and flailed on the floor. His body was in emergency mode and didn't know to do with itself as the unbearable pain encompassed the boy's mind. Looks of excitement and sympathy filled the crowd, their opinion on Ozai's punishment was ambivalent. The reasons were ambiguous as to why-how a father could be so cruel to his own son.

Every cell on his face was eradicated, his eyes was brutally wounded, the vision in it impaired permanently, his hair follicles everlastingly dead, never to have a right eyebrow again. Ozai jeered at his crippled son still letting out piercing screams of pain on the coliseum floor while clutching down the dusty floor his fingertips clenching it tightly as if this would subdue the pain. Zuko was hyperventilating; he couldn't breath or apprehend reality, as his world seemed to blackout. He seemed unconscious but at the same time, conscious as his body did tumbling flips on the floor; as if he were a slug that had salt sprinkled over it. He chocked on blood as it arose out of his throat, he was coughing it up in mouthfuls. Vomiting pure blood from his mouth as he tried to keep his breath, only alive from the will to hang on. His right eye was gushing blood, it was spewing it out as it was still being charred by his father's wicked blow to his face. The audience pondered the child's survival. After Ozai was done making a mockery of Zuko, afflicting him with insults he couldn't even hear, as he was lost in the insanity of inconceivable pain. As Zuko withered into a crumpled ball, looking like a flailing carcass on the ground his father couldn't resist the urging temptation to call Zuko horrid names and kick him while he was down; literally and figuratively. After awhile, he'd had enough. Now he'd be the fairest, he left his son to relinquish blood-curtailing screams and scrape his fingernails into the floor in agony as he made his way to the attic. Complete satisfaction was brought upon Ozai, there was no way that face Zuko would now have to wear, could be attractive.

After Ozai was gone everyone left in hushed whispers. Iroh was the only one concerned for the boy's wellbeing and _life_. He dashed down to the stadium floor in a frenzied panic. He'd lost his son, but he would_not_ lose his nephew. Iroh cried as he tried to console the boy, still not sane, twitching and throbbing in pain, he held the crippled child and screamed desperately for guards to have Zuko rushed to a paramedic immediately. Meanwhile upstairs in the attic of the palace, Ozai interrogated the mirror, determined.

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall, tell me, am I the fairest of them all?" Ozai smiled, he knew that there simply could not be anyone else.

"You are, my lord," The mirror said at long last, "though, your daughter, Azula is not far behind, she could catch up to you as the years pass."

"Well, we'll have to ensure that that does not occur," Ozai said, smiling with satisfaction at his goal's completion.

"I suppose…." The mirror stated.

"Thank you," Ozai grinned as he exited the room contently and walked down the spiral staircase that led to his throne. As he sat on the throne a guard came in with a proposal.

"Lord Ozai, your brother wishes to have a word with you," the guard said informatively. Ozai smiled at this, rubbing his success in would bring him joy.

"Permit his entrance," Ozai cleared as the guard nodded and fetched Iroh. Iroh walked in and reluctantly bowed to the Fire Lord, Ozai just grinned at his brother's degrading bow of phony respect. "What're you here for, _brother_?"

"To smack some sense into your thick skull!" Iroh shouted.

"Pardon?" Ozai said flatly.

"…What….why…._why_ in the name of God Almighty would you _do__such__a__thing_….to _your__own__son_?" Iroh yelled, on the brink of tears.

"It's not your prerogative, brother, he's my son, not yours," Ozai beamed.

"He's my nephew!" Iroh shouted.

"and this concerns me because…?" Ozai said sarcastically.

"He could have died!" Iroh screamed.

"Your point…?" Ozai said.

"I would give anything to have my son back here with me and this is how you treat yours?" Iroh shouted.

"YOU DON'T GET IT, YOU GET EVERYTHING YOU WANT!" Ozai shouted, arising from his throne.

"Ha! Me? Get everything I want? You're the one on the throne, two healthy children that love you, and a wife that would follow you to the ends of the earth!" Iroh shouted.

"Father always loved you, I was left in your shadow!" Ozai grunted.

"That doesn't excuse what you did, if father was so bad, why emulate his parenting?" Iroh rationalized.

"Why do you care?" Ozai sneered.

"Because you burnt your son's face off! Beyond ever recovering, he may even lose his vision, he could have _died_." Iroh screamed, "You are off of your rocker, Ozai."

"I have to be the best, like no one ever was!" Ozai proclaimed.

"What _the__hell_ does that _even__mean_?" Iroh yelled in fury, "…It's a shame…Zuko was such a handsome young man…one of the best looking in the Fire Nation and you ruined him, that scar will be hideous, the poor boy…"

"ZUKO IS NOT THE FAIREST OF THEM ALL, I AM!" Ozai went off the wall, "LEAVE, NOW, GET OUT! YOU'RE SO WORRIED ABOUT MY USELESS SON, GO PESTER HIM!" Ozai screamed and Iroh reluctantly left the throne room. A week passed and Zuko had healed enough to walk around, though he preferred to coincide inside of the seclusion of his own room. Praying to awake from the horrid nightmare. Ozai was disgusted still, he couldn't even look at the boy anymore, he was weak. He didn't deserve his birthright, Azula was a much more fitting heir. Ozai decided to call Zuko into the throne room. Zuko was so relieved, his father finally realized the severity of what he'd done and was going to apologize. Wrong.

"Prince Zuko, your refusal to fight me in the Agni Kai was weak, shameful, and unacceptable. You are henceforth stripped of your birthright and banished until you can capture the Avatar, only then you may return," Ozai exclaimed. It was an ingenious plan to stall Zuko and keep him out of his hair. The look on Zuko's face would break any normal parent's heart twelve times over, Ozai was unfazed. Iroh then spontaneously interrupted on Zuko's declared banishment.

"I'm going with him then," Iroh said sternly and with that they were gone. They both ran off in exile together. Iroh aided Zuko and findng the avatar, which became Zuko's unhealthy obsession. Iroh ofter told Zuko that a boy his age should be chasing girls, not the avatar. His brother was a cruel, sick, man to do this to his own son.

Ozai couldn't believe it. Iroh left….who was he even proving himself to anymore? His father was dead and Iroh was gone? All his efforts and strife to be the fairest had gone in vain. No one would even know. Ozai descended into madness. He'd lost everything. While striving to get what he wanted he'd lost his true self in the process. He had nothing to spend his time on anymore. He just sat on the throne venting in the realm of his own distorted mind, corrupted by evil. His unquenchable thirst for power and motivation to be the best derived one thing from his insanity. He would conquer the world. Yes, conquering the world, a noble cause worthy of such a great nation, and such a great leader.

The years past and Ozai's yearning for power did not dwindle. He was becoming even more powerful and his daughter, whom he had corrupted and brainwashed himself was adherently by his side. The day came when Ozai decided on taking over the entire world, he no longer needed Azula, he threw her to the dust, she could be Fire Lord now, or drop dead, whichever was of more convenience. He was the Phoenix King now, he didn't need such an unfitting title. His tool of a daughter could have that leftover. Azula then too went berserk. She grew a lust for beauty, just like her father, she discovered the mirror and took interest in being the fairest. He gazed into the mirror and asked it the nefarious question her father had ruined himself in doing.

"Mirror, mirror on the wall who's the fairest of them all?" Azula giggled, she thought it would be her.

"Your father….Princess Azula…" the mirror sighed, would it corrupt yet another life.

"Father….he abandon me…" Azula whimpered, "I am certainly next in line, it can't be Zuzu?" Azula said hopefully. The mirror flinched and sighed preparing to tell her the truth.

"Your mother…she's next….though she's only in second because technically she doesn't live in the Fire Nation," The mirror explicated.

"What?" Azula shouted as suddenly she saw her mother standing in the mirror, "Mother?"

"Hello Azula, it's a shame you cut your hair you always had such pretty hair," Ursa told her.

"Be quiet, you think I'm a monster!" She cried.

"No, Azula, I love you," the reflection stated. Her mother sickened her, stealing her title too. Azula picked up her brush and chucked it at the mirror. The madness stopped here and now. No one else would now suffer the fate of that cursed mirror, cursed by Fire Lord Sozin making all the Fire Lords become evil and strive for something, losing themselves in the process. Azula destroyed the mirror, her brilliance perceived the mirror's defecating aura. But thanks to her corrupted father she had still gone mad. The mirror destroyed everything. Zuko was not effected by the mirror's malevolence, he was banished before he could come across it. His father was wrong, Zuko was born lucky, not Azula for she had gone down in insanity. Brought upon by the curse of the:

_~Mirror, mirror on the wall. Wanting to be the fairest of them all.~_

{|-*~End~*-|}


End file.
